Question 1

How do I top up a number?

Accepted Answer

Pick the recipient’s country, enter their number, choose an amount and pay. The top-up lands on their phone in under 30 seconds. No app needed for the recipient.

Question 2

How fast is delivery?

Accepted Answer

Under 30 seconds on average. It can take a bit longer if the operator is down or the number is temporarily unreachable — in that case we automatically retry for a few minutes.

Question 3

What if I pick the wrong operator?

Accepted Answer

Sift detects the operator automatically from the prefix — you don’t need to pick one. If detection fails, you can select the operator manually before paying.

Question 4

My recipient didn’t receive the top-up, what now?

Accepted Answer

Wait 5 minutes: some operator outages cause delays. If nothing arrives, check the transaction status in your account. On confirmed failure you’re automatically refunded to your original payment method.

Question 5

Can I schedule a recurring top-up?

Accepted Answer

Yes. At checkout, enable monthly recurrence: your loved one receives the same top-up each month, on the same day. You can cancel anytime from your account.

Question 6

Which countries and operators are covered?

Accepted Answer

Over 180 countries and 900 operators across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe. Full list available at the bottom of the home page.

Question 7

What is a Sift gift card?

Accepted Answer

A digital gift card (Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, PlayStation, etc.) delivered instantly by email as a code to redeem at the merchant. Available in the currency and country of your choice.

Question 8

When is the code sent?

Accepted Answer

Immediately after payment, to the email you provided. You also receive a PDF receipt. If nothing arrives, check your spam folder then your account history.

Question 9

Can I get a refund on a gift card?

Accepted Answer

Gift cards are not refundable once the code has been revealed, for obvious security reasons. If the code is invalid or already used before being delivered to you, contact us and we’ll replace it.

Question 10

Why are some brands only available in certain countries?

Accepted Answer

Merchants sometimes restrict their gift cards to a specific country. Pick the country that matches your recipient’s account.

Question 11

Which payment methods do you accept?

Accepted Answer

Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), Apple Pay, Google Pay and Link. All payments go through Stripe, PCI-DSS Level 1 certified.

Question 12

Can I pay in my own currency?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sift detects your currency by location and you can also change it manually in the nav bar. We support 85+ currencies.

Question 13

Is my card data safe?

Accepted Answer

Sift never stores your card number. Payment is handled directly by Stripe, with 3-D Secure encryption when your bank requires it.

Question 14

What happens if delivery fails?

Accepted Answer

If we can’t deliver your top-up or gift card (operator outage, wrong number, etc.), you’re automatically refunded within 5 to 10 business days on the payment method used.

Question 15

What is Sift Care?

Accepted Answer

Sift Care is our loyalty programme: every top-up and gift card earns you points. Points raise your level (Roots, Bond, Family, Pillar) and unlock cultural badges and perks.

Question 16

What can I do with points?

Accepted Answer

The higher your level, the more your experience is recognised. Points unlock badges visible on your profile and can open seasonal discounts during cultural holidays (Tabaski, Eid, Christmas, Easter…).

Question 17

Do points expire?

Accepted Answer

Points stay valid as long as you stay active. If no top-up is made for 90 days, an email warns you 30 days before inactive points expire.

Question 18

Do I need an account to top up?

Accepted Answer

Not for a one-off top-up. An account does let you see your history, manage favourites and recurrences, and join the Sift Care programme.

Question 19

I forgot my password.

Accepted Answer

Click "Forgot password" on the login screen. You’ll get an email with a reset link valid for 1 hour.

Question 20

How do I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

From your account page → Profile → Delete my account. Deletion is permanent within 30 days. Past transactions are kept in our legal archives for 10 years as required by French regulation.

Help Center

Mobile top-ups

Gift cards

Payment & security

Sift Care programme

Account & support

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